If you have any proof that basketball would be exempt for this bylaw, I would ask that you share it. It also doesn’t matter what school orginized the payment. If someone or their family is paid by any party, they lose their amateur status.

It really seems think everyone is in a wait and see mode for what the FBI do next. I wouln’t be surprised if we don’t know if Silvio is playing or not until the first game of the season.

@JayHawkFanToo I haven’t seen anything to disuade me that the worst case is still that he is just straight up ruled ineligible and not allowed to play. The sum of money he was allegedly paid is higher than the Diallo’s case. Even if he gets the same ruling, he would have to pay the money back and we don’t even know if he can afford to do so. I know I wouldn’t have been able to pay $20,000+ back as a college student.

I think you are reading too much into the inaction by the NCAA as well. It is being reported that they haven’t done anything yet as they want to let the FBI investigation run its course. I also haven’t seen any news that the FBI has even shared its evidence with the NCAA, so it would be hard for them to investigate until that happens.

I want to be as optimistic as you are but every time I think about the scenario, I can’t see how Silvio doesn’t get a suspension unless the FBI evidence isn’t substansial or it is withheld from the NCAA. Alternatively, this could blow up so much that they can’t afford to suspend everyone caught up in it.

@BShark Agreed. KU has already shown that they won’t play people with ongoing eligibility issues (i.g. the Billy situation) and I would be surprised if the NCAA even starts their official investigation by the start of next season with the rate they are moving. I don’t know how people are so optimistic.

@JayHawkFanToo And if there is actual evidence to back up the inditement, he will be ineligible. The NCAA loophole around the guardian accepting payment was closed. The only I see for him out of it is to hope their evidence is flimsy/hearsay or to hope that the investigation gets a lot bigger and the NCAA makes a compromise on their rules.

@Buster-1926 I’m confused as to what paying the school back for a scholarship solves? If anything, it furthur incentives someone to take money from an agent as they would have and immidiate debt of $30,000 at the end of their first year if they end up going to the draft. Maaaaaaaaybe it incentiveses them to stay in school a year longer, but then they are another year out of making money (even further incentivation to take money upfront from an agent).

Your rant about responsibility is a little extreeme as well. These kids have given their word that they will play for a school for a year. Not 4, a year. And 99% of them stay for the full season. If we had an issue where players were getting called up to play for an NBA team in the middle of the season and leaving their school, I could maybe get on board with you.

Also, taxpayer money has nothing to do with this situtuation so I don’t know why that is being brought up. College basketball programs fund themselves.